


Accidental Friends

by gm13lumos



Series: From Friends to Forever [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:13:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26954896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gm13lumos/pseuds/gm13lumos
Summary: How it all began...
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Series: From Friends to Forever [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1965787
Comments: 1
Kudos: 22





	Accidental Friends

**Author's Note:**

> So I was asked for more and out popped this one shot. A prequel to "Moving In?" that takes place about 2 years prior to that one. Enjoy :)

She hadn’t meant to become his friend. He was her best friend’s childhood enemy. He had mocked her hair, called her horrific names, and never missed an opportunity to make her feel as if she was less than who she was. Hell, he had been a Death Eater. He was Draco Malfoy. But, somehow, the boy she had punched when they were 13 became one of her closest friends. Hermione smiled to herself as she sat in the booth in the pub in Diagon Alley waiting for him to arrive. She knew he would be on time. One of her favorite things about him was his punctuality – a trait neither Harry nor Ron had adopted no matter how hard she tried. But she was always early and, a glance at her watch, told her she still had another 10 minutes before he arrived. The server dropped her beer off at the table with a nod before leaving her to her drink. Content, Hermione allowed herself thoughts to drift to three years prior, when it all began.

\--------------------

The library at Hogwarts had been quiet, which made sense given the late hour – that was Hermione’s preferred time to work. She sat at a table, her Eighth Year homework piled around her, and worked. It was only the first week back but there was nothing wrong with getting ahead. She had, after all, missed a great deal. Just before midnight, she finally looked up from her parchment and was startled to find there was someone else in the library with her. The shock of bright blonde hair told her immediately who it was. She knew that he had been required to return to Hogwarts as part of the terms of his probation but until that moment, she hadn’t encountered him at all. She stared, curiously, at the back of his head. He appeared to be hunched over his own work, the sound of his quill scratching on the page the only sound in the room. He paused, suddenly, and stretched his arms over his head. Realizing she was staring, Hermione quickly looked back down at her own parchment. Suddenly the bell rang, signaling the library was closing. Hermione quickly gathered her things and, without looking at the other wizard walked out of the library. She was being weird, she thought to herself. But she had no idea how to act. She had seen him from afar at his trial. She had testified for him and his mother, waited with Harry to hear their sentences imposed, and tightly clung to Harry’s hand as the Wizengamot announced a period of probation instead of Azkaban for both Malfoys. She watched as both Malfoys sat stone-faced as the sentence was read and walked out of the room together without a word to anyone. Neither she nor Harry had heard a word from either since or seen them. Until now. No matter, Hermione thought to herself. She would simply do her work, he would do his, and they would have no reason to interact whatsoever. Satisfied, she returned to her suite in Gryffindor Tower and went to bed without a subsequent thought on the subject.

It turned out, however, that she was wrong. Suddenly Draco Malfoy was everywhere. It made some sense, of course. There were a limited number of Eighth Year students and a limited number of classes available for them to take. But there were enough that she shouldn’t have every single class with Malfoy. And yet, she did. Everywhere she turned, bright blonde hair. He was unavoidable. But he never said a word. He kept his head down, he worked quietly, and he even worked alone when they were supposed to have partners. He also continued to show up to the library. He would show up minutes after her and work at the same table, directly in her line of vision. He would always finish a few minutes before her and leave as if he had never been there. After a month of the same thing over and over, it was driving her insane. She could talk to him, she reasoned. She could try to have a conversation with him about their classes. But he clearly didn’t want to talk to her, otherwise he would have. Hermione went round and round with herself for days until, finally, an opportunity presented itself.

“Mr. Malfoy, you are required to have a partner,” Professor McGonagall said, her voice carrying throughout the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. “The spells we are learning are too dangerous to do without a partner.”

Hermione could see that Malfoy had said something in response, but she couldn’t make out the words. She did, however, see the exasperated expression on her favorite professor’s face and, knowing how unhappy Professor McGonagall was to have to teach multiple subjects, decided this was her chance. With a quick apology to Neville, Dean, and Seamus, Hermione raised her hand.

“I’ll work with Malfoy, Professor,” Hermione offered, immediately feeling the eyes of everyone in the classroom on her. Everyone that is, except Malfoy, who continued to stare down at his desk.

“Thank you, Miss Granger,” Professor McGonagall said, giving Hermione a smile. “Please move your belongings to the desk next to Mr. Malfoy.”

Ignoring the looks of confusion and horror on her friend’s faces, Hermione gathered her things and placed her things on the desk directly in front of Malfoy. She sat down in her chair and turned so that she was facing him. He simply stared down at the desk, not meeting her eyes. Hermione could feel her classmates’ eyes on them but before she could say something, Professor McGonagall spoke up.

“Did someone perform a memory charm that resulted in all of you forgetting that mastery of this spell is a significant portion of your final grade?” Professor McGonagall said loudly. “You cannot master it if you do not practice it. On your feet.”

The sounds of chairs moving and people standing filled the room and people began to speak, discussing the spell they were supposed to be practicing. Draco, however, continued to stare at his desk.

“Well?” Hermione asked, rising from her chair.

Silently, Malfoy rose from his chair and moved away from his desk. Without a word, they began to practice the spells. By the end of the hour, they were both panting and sweating and still hadn’t uttered more than the words necessary to cast the spells they were practicing. Professor McGonagall clapped her hands to signal the end of class. Robotically, Malfoy gathered his things and walked out of the room. Baffled, Hermione gathered her own things and decided to follow him. She caught up to him as he was entering the library. He sat down at his table, she sat down at hers, and they both began to work. But Hermione found herself completely unable to focus. She kept looking up at Malfoy. She chewed on her quill as she stared until suddenly, he looked up and their eyes locked. Hermione found herself unable to look away as he stared back at her. Hermione felt words lodged in her throat, but she couldn’t figure out what to say. Fortunately for her, she didn’t have to. Malfoy spoke.

“I’m not a house elf,” he said, his tone quiet but firm.

“Excuse me?” Hermione said, blinking at him confused.

“I’m not in need of saving or rescuing. I do not require your assistance.” he said in the same tone. “I’m not a house elf.”

Hermione sat stunned, absorbing his words before replying, “I know that. I just thought - ”

“You just thought poor Death Eater,” Malfoy replied, his tone unchanged. “What a worthy cause. Quite a score for you to be able to save me.”

“I’m not trying to save you,” Hermione replied, her voice a loud whisper. “I’m just trying to work with you. Help you.”

“I don’t need your help,” Malfoy spat back, his voice volume matching hers.

“Look, I know things are probably hard - ” Hermione tried, her voice slightly louder but Malfoy cut her off.

“You know nothing,” Draco replied, his voice also louder now. “You know absolutely nothing at all about my life. You know nothing about me.”

“I know who you are,” Hermione replied, her voice suddenly much louder than what’s appropriate for a library as she rose from her seat and marched over to Malfoy’s table. “I know exactly who you are.”

She stopped when she was standing directly next to his chair.

“No, you don’t,” Malfoy shouted back, rising from his seat at his table and towering over Hermione. “You know who I was. You know what I did. You have no idea what I’ve been through since. What I’ve done. You don’t know who I am.”

The two of them stood, nose to nose, both of them breathing heavily as Malfoy’s words washed over them.

“So tell me,” Hermione said, her voice quiet again. “Tell me.”

And he did. They sat in the library for the rest of the evening, homework cast aside and simply talking. Hermione held back tears as Draco explained the years of emotional abuse from his father, what life was like living with the dark lord in his home, and the overwhelming sense of relief he felt when Harry killed him. He told her about getting home after he and his mother’s trial and how he’d held his mother as she sobbed for what they had done, who they had become, and the kindness shown by Harry and Hermione by testifying on their behalf. When Draco whispered an apology, for everything, Hermione felt her heart clench. She waved away his apology and instead, told him about her experience. She told him out needing to be the best, knowing she didn’t come from a wizard family. She told him about being on the run with Harry and Ron and she cried quietly as she told him about everyone she had lost. She watched as Draco sat with his hands, tightly in fists, with unshed tears behind his eyes. When they had both run out of things to say, they simply sat in silence, taking comfort from talking about what was never talked about and sharing emotions they both felt. When the bell struck midnight, they gathered their things and walked out of the library together. As they parted ways, Hermione placed her hand on his arm.

“We’re going to be okay, Draco,” she said, intentionally using his first name, resisting the urge to smile when his eyes shot to hers at its use.

“Thank you,” he replied, looking back at her. “For tonight, for the trial, you owed me nothing and I just - thank you, Granger.”

“We’re friends now,” Hermione said with a smile. “You can call me Hermione.”

Draco smiled back at her, the first genuine smile she had ever seen from him.

“Thank you, Hermione.”

\-------------------

“Hermione? Hermione? Earth to Granger,” a voice interrupted her thoughts abruptly bringing her back to the present.

Hermione smiled, ignoring the familiar flutter in her chest as Draco slid into the booth across from her, tossing his bag on the seat next to him.

“Dare I ask what you were thinking about?” he asked, one elegant eyebrow raised. “You were so deep in thought I was concerned you wouldn’t be able to return.”

“Very funny,” she replied, rolling her eyes. “I was thinking about Hogwarts if you must know. And how we became friends.”

“Are we friends?” Draco shot back, a sly grin on his face. “I thought we merely tolerated each other’s presence because we’re so much smarter than everyone else we know.”

“Of course, what was I thinking?” Hermione said, with a good-natured roll of her eyes. “And our friends are smart, that’s rude.”

“They’re certainly something,” Draco replied with a snort. “And they’re your friends, not mine.”

“Nope,” Hermione replied, taking a sip of her beer. “Even though you refuse to acknowledge it, Harry and Ron are your friends, and you are theirs.”

“Lies,” Draco said loudly, fighting to keep a grin off his face. “All lies, Granger. Untruths.”

“Alright Malfoy,” Hermione said, rolling her eyes. “Live in denial.”

“I’ll live in the present, thanks” Draco quipped back, mouthing his drink order to the server as he passed by. “And in the present, I need a drink.”

“Tough day at work?” Hermione asked, her features softening with concern. “Is Percy being an ass?”

Hermione ignored another flutter as Draco’s features softened as well and he gave her a genuine smile, the same smile he’d given her so many times since that night in the library.

“All is well in the potions lab, Granger,” Draco replied. “You don’t have to worry about me.”

“We’re friends, Draco,” Hermione replied with a shrug. “I worry about my friends.”

“Yes, yes we are,” Draco murmured in reply, taking the glass of Firewhiskey that was handed to him.

He started at the contents for a moment before looking at Hermione. He raised his glass towards Hermione and she raised hers.

“To accidental friends,” Draco said, the smirk returning to his face as he moved his glass towards hers.

“You’re certainly lucky to have me,” Hermione shot back as their glasses connected.

“I am,” Draco replied, his voice suddenly quieter. “I’m really glad we’re friends.”

“I am too, Draco,” Hermione replied, lowering her own voice to match his. “I am too.”

They each took a deep drink, neither quite looking at the other and a pregnant pause hung in the air.

“So,” Hermione said, dispelling the silence. “Did you bring it with you?”

“Did I bring it with me?” Draco scoffed. “What do you take me for?”

Hermione grinned at Draco removed a large tome from his work bag and set it on the table between them.

“This is seriously how you want to spend your Friday night?” Draco asked, his hand still on the book. “Translating runes that are probably gibberish and won’t lead either of us to anything helpful?”

“It is,” Hermione confirmed with a grin. “Let’s do it.”

With a smile, Draco opened the book and the two of them leaned in and got to work.


End file.
